The Penn's Grove record., 1887-07-23

Ou0 StbIlilS W hocI bu6 requirements
so well as Lucia Grey, whose repeated
refusals only made him more deter
mined.
He had cultivated persistence to that
Ane point attained only. as a general
rule, by the widowed Of his sex, but
had, as yet, failed of success.
He passed them with a bow and a
bread, bland smile.
Lucia's brother was waiting for her
at the door of their small home, and
DR.. Holt declining to enter, they ex-
changed a few careless words on the
steps before he bade them good-by.
He held LUCAS hama a moment at
parting, and she remembered long
afterward how dry and feverish his
was; but what a firm, true clasp the
fingers gave.
The next evening Mr.. Terrell came
for her to drive. She did not want to
go, but let herself be persuaded, feeling
too heart-sick for anything to matter
much.
Once again he offered her the ''pur-
pie and 0ne linen" Of life, and seemed
slow to understand that she could so
~obstinately refuse what some women
angled for.
Poor fellowl There was a kind Of
pathos about the way he put his wealth
before him.
Ii he had read women better he would
have known that if he were once loved
for himself it would not matter whether
he counted his money by the thousands
or by the tens-by dollars or cents.
While she was nervous and flushed
with annoyance, they met DR.. Holt on
his way to see some country patient.
He attributed her unusual color to
another cause, and fancylng he caught
a look Of triumph in John Terrell's
cold, blue eyes, accepted the possible
for the actual-as men of his sensitive,
self.distrustful nature are apt to do
and concluded she had followed his ad-
vice and taken ''the man who could
provide for her,"
Strange heart of mani He had told
her to do it, and had thought he wanted
her to do it.
And nowP
He certainly wanted her to be happy,
and he thought he could not not make
her so himself. And yet he was con-
scious of a terrible pain somewhere in
his breast and a burning desire to bury
John Terrell's blonde beauty under a
heap of his own shining coin.
Lucia and her brother JJe had lived
a happy life together, and in his fond,
unselfsh love she had I'VE missed the
father and mother who, dying, during
infancy, had left her to the tender care
Of the crippled boy, now a sad-eyed,
middle-aged man.
A sufficient sum had been left for
their support, and a kind aunt gave
them a home until the little sister was
old enough to keep house for 'Brother
Joe."
Since then they had never been sepa-
rated. As the days passed on, and
Laurence holt never came again to the
little cottage with the yellow roses by
the gate, Joe noticed how sad and list
less Lucia grew, although she tried SO
bravely to be merry and gay as of old.
He asked no questions, for he knew
that, while we can sometimes rest
weary limbs, it is hard to know what
to do with tired hearts.
One day some one mentioned, among
other gossip, the departure of DR.. Holt
for New Mexico, and added by way of
comment, HE was always a restless
sort of fellow-didn't seem to care for
anybody in the world, not ever him
self. They say he has gone for good"
For weeks after this Lucia went
about the house with a stunned, help
less look in her eyes like a hurt animal
that does not understand why 1t has
been wounded.
Tho orvoaDonr nncaod and with fha
early autumn days she grew restless.
Coming to Joe n evening she put her
arms around his neck as In her baby
days, and told him she wanted some
work to do, something to keep her busy
all the time. Couldn't she gather
around her a little kindergarten class
of children and try to fill up her life
with duties2"
He knew that duties were cold, I'M
satisfactory things when the heart was
crying out for something alive and
warm, but he let her have her way, and
as day after day she studied deeper into
child-llfe, and saw how in ministering
to these little ones we are in turn ad-
ministered to, she grew more content
and less impatient or life.
One bright spring morning, NO years
later, the brother and sister sat on their
porch, "watchlng the flowers grow"
Presently Joe got up and limped to
the steps. Lucia, do you see that
peculiar little cloud yonder2 l should
not be surprised If we had a storm of
some kind to-day"
80, Joe, the ideal Why, the sun
never did shine so bright. l feel al
most a child again this morning, and L
know 1t is this delicious sunshine"
81 hope nothing will come to shut it
out, then, dear, if it makes you happy"
And he looked at her with a tender
little smile.
The girl jumped up impulsiyely and
kissed his worn cheek, whispering,
''You make me happy all the time"
Before the day was over his prophecy
came true. A wild storm came up, one
of those sudden furies of lightning,
wind and rain peculiar to our Texas
climate, that interrupts the sun for a
few moments, strikes the earth a single
passionate blow, and then returns to
its home among the clouds, leaving
nature bruised and smarting from the
stroke. The south-bound train had
come in in the midst Of the gale, and a
few hours later a message was brought
to Lucia Grey.
But one passenger had left the cars.
and as he stepped across the platform
he stopped one moment to gaze up at
the frowning heavens. AS he looked
a fiery, zigzag line cut the sullen blue
of the sky, gathered itself into a lurid
ball of dancing, purplish lame-lights.
and burst amid a grand discerd OF
thunder, wind and rain. When the
clamor of the elements ceased those
inside the depot rushed out to see where
the bolt had fallen.
They found some Of the men who
had been grouped outside thrown to
----- L. aaanAal nAl Ann